hotchkiss



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet l.

B. B. HOTGHKISS.

BREEGH LOADING CANNON.

No. 270,953. Patented Jan.23,1883

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. B. B. HOTOHKISS.

BREEGH LOADING CANNON.

No. 270,953. Patented Jan.23, 1883.

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(N0 Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. B. B. HOTOHKISS.

BREEGH LOADING CANNON.

No. 270,953. Patented JaJLZ3, 1883.

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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4.

B. B. HOTOHKISS.

BREEOH LOADING CANNON.

No. 270,958. Patented Jan.23, 1883.

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N. warms, PhomLllhographer, Wahmglon. n. c."

ilmrn STATES ATENT @rricn.

BENJAMIN B. HOTCHKISS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

BREECH-LOADING oANNoN'.

SFECIFIQATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 270,953, dated January23, 1883.

Application filed October 14, 1882. (N0 model.) Patented in FranceDecember 6, 1881, No; 116,914, and in England December 24,

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN B. Ho'rcn- Kiss,a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, countyofNew York, and State of New York, (temporarily domiciled in Paris,France,) have invented certain new and useful Improvements inBreech-Loading Uannons, fully described and representedin the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same,

This invention relates to that class of breechloading ordnance in whichthe opening of the breech, extracting the empty shell, and cooking thegun are accomplished by the movement of an actuating-lever in onedirection, and the closing of the breech and the making ready for firingare accomplished bya movement of the actuating-lever in a contrarydirection.

The invention consists in an improved construction and combination ofthe hammer, its mainspring, scar, and ,cockinglever, all of which areconnected with the sliding breechblock, so as to partake of itsreciprocating movements, an actuating-lever mounted in the breech andvibrating a crank that moves the block, and a cam that actuates thecocking-le ver, and the trigger located in the breech, the arrangementbeing such that many of the parts liable to injury are housed andprotected, while the structure and operation of some of the devicesenables the loading of the gun and closing its breech to be efl'ectedwithout the possibility of premature discharge.

The invention also comprehends an improved structure ofcartridge-feeding and shell-discharging guideways, allot which featuresof invention are hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

Figurel represents aside elevation of a breechloading machine-gun inwhich the breech-block is closed and the mechanisms arein the positionafter the gun has been fired, said gun being provided with ashoulder-piece and hand-grip. Fig. 2 is a plan or top viewof the same.Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same, exposing theinternal mechanisms in their position when the breech is closed and thegun is ready to be tired. Fig. 4. is a transverse vertical section ofthe same. Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the same'as the parts appearwhen the breech is open. Fig. 6 is a side elevation,

showing the parts in the same position, and illustrating by parts insection the structure of feeding and discharging troughs. Fig. 7 is arear elevation, showing the feeding-trough in section. Fig. 8 is asectional elevation, showing the parts in the positions had immediatelyafter firing. Fig. 9 is a side elevation, showing the position of partswhen the crank is moved to the rearward position reached before itoperates to depress the block. Fig. 10 is a side elevation, showing thepositions of the actuating and cooking levers and firing-pin when thegun is ready to be fired. Fig. 11 shows the position of the same partsafter firing the gun. Fig. 12 is a horizontal section, showing thestructure of trigger and sear. Fig. 13 is a view of the extractordetached, and Fig. 14- a view of the same in its place of operation.

The cannon consists of'a single barrel, 1, united to or formed integralwith the enlarged breech-piece or re-enforce 2, which latter is piercedvertically by a recess, 3, (see Figs. 2 and 4,) in which a slidingblock, 6, reciprocates. This recess extends rearwardly through thebreech, but is contracted to dimensions adapted to the passage ofcartridges and cartridge-shells, and thus provides vertically elongatedshoulders 5, against which the rear face of the sliding breech-block 6bears in its movements up and down to close or open the breech of thegun, said shoulders and the unremoved lower portion, 60, of the breechforming a solid (though in part divided) abutment to sustain thebreech-block against the shock of discharge when the gun is fired. Thisbreechblock 6 is guided in its vertical movements by bearers 8, thatproject inward from the opposite sidewalls of the recess 3 and entergrooves 33 in the sides of the block 6. The

breech-block 6 is slightly tapered or wedgeshaped, and the bearingshoulders or faces 5, against which it rides, are correspondinglyinclined, as are the guiding-bearers S, which are thus arranged parallelwith the shoulders or faces 5, whence-it results that, while the rearface of the block will always move in contact with the shoulders orfaces 5, its front face,2l, which rests snugly, or nearly so, againstthe breech of the gun only when the block is elevated, will, as theblock descends, be gradual- IOC '25, inclines rearward at quite Q Meets1y withdrawn until in its lowermost position it stands a short distancefrom the breech, asin Fig. 6. The vertical movements of the breechblockare accomplished by means of a handoperated actuating-lever, 7, fast tothe end of a short shaft, 9, that is journaled in one of the walls ofthe breech and .extends into the recess 3. This shaft carries on itsinner end a crank, 10, that plays in a side recess out into the block 6,and is provided with a stud or roller, 11, that enters and runs in acam-groove, 12, cut transversely in the s ide of said block. Thiscam-groove has a rearward portion, 14, that forms the cam proper, andaforward portion,.13, so curved as to be concentric with the shaft 9when the breech-block-is in its uppermost position, (see Fig. 1,) whenceit results that, as the actuating-lever 7 is drawn rearward, the stud 11will for a time, or during its transit through this portion'l3 of thecamgroove, move idly, thus permitting a lost mo- .tion, which takesplace without moving the breech-block. As soon, however, as the stud 11passes into the cam part 14 the cam action will be efi'ected and thebreech-block will be quickly moved downward and the breech of the gunopened, as in Fig.6. When the movement of the actuating-lever isreversed the breech-block will be quickly moved upward and the breechclosed as the stud 11 travels in the cam portion 14, after which thestud 11. will again idlytraverse the concentric portion 13, during whichmovement the actuating-lever will move forward some distance, for apurpose to be explained. The range both upward and downward of thevertical movements of the breech-block is limited bya keepscrew, 19,whlch passes through one side of the breech and enters a recess, 20, inone side of the block. (See Figs. 3 and 8.)

To effectually eject the shell remaining in the firing-chamber after thedischarge requires a peculiar movement ofthe ejector, to be accomplishedduring the downward movement of the breech-block, which opens thebreech, ready to receive a new charge. The extractor 15 for this purposeis mounted in a horizontal guiding-groove, 16, in the breech, and hasits reciprocations imparted to it by a lug, 17, that projects into acompound cam-groove, 18, that is cut in the side of the breech-block andhas vertical and inclined portions. Thelower part, 24, of this groove ismade parallel, or nearly so, with the block-bearers 8, and its upperpart, an abrupt angle. For proper coaction with this extractor thebreech-block is hollowed out upon its upper side, so-as to form aforwardly-inclined trough,

as 23, so that while the front sides, 22, of its top, when the block iselevated, are flush with the top of the breech the bottom of the troughwill be but a short distance above the upper wall of the chamber 4. (SeeFig. 3.) From this it results that during the first part of the downwardmovement of the block 6, while the log 17 of the extractor is controlledby the part 24 of the groove 18, the empty shell will only be startedrearward or drawn slightly out of the chamber; but when the forward endof the bottom of the trough 23 has reached the level of the bottom ofthe cham'ber4 of the barrel 1 the cam part 25 of the groove 18 willbegin to act upon the lug 17 and draw the extractor rapidly back, andthus operate to quickly throw the shell rearwardly out of the chamber 4.

The cartridge is inserted into the chamber 4 by being thrust forward inthe trough 23, and its explosion is accomplished by the direct action ofa hammer, 29, carried by a shaft, 28,

, that is mounted in hearings in the lower part of the breech-block,which shaft is extended through the block, and also carries outside theblock a cooking-lever, 27, which isacted upon by a cam, 26, on the shaft9.

The mainspring 30, which accomplishes the percussive blow of the hammer,is a two-leaved spring bent around' a pin, 31, and confined between alug, 41, projecting from the heel of the hammer and the bottom of itsrecess in the block. (See Fig.8.) The cocked position of the hammer issecured by means of a catch, 42, on the heel of the hammer, with whichengages a scar, 43, formed on a lever, 44, that is pivoted near thefront lower partot' the breechblock, the tail of said lever projectingrearward, so as to protrude from the block in a position to be engagedby the trigger proper, as will presently be explained. This sear is heldto duty in holding the hammer cooked or continually pressed upward bymeans of a light spring, (not shown,) that properly bears upon its leverportion.

The trigger 37 is pivoted in a pistol-grip, 53, attached to theright-hand lower side of the breech, and hasaright-angular-extendingarm,

'45, that projects forward at a proper point to be in vertical alignmentwith the lever 44 of the scar, and thus to trip the sear at the propertime; but it will thus be observed that the hammer 29, its mainspring30, the sear 43, and the cocking-lever 27 are all maintained in bearingsformed in the breech-block, and

that they are thus housed and protected while caused to make the upwardand downward movements imparted to the block, which movements of coursecarry the lever of the sear away from and into contact with theextension or arm 45 of the scar. The hammer is automatically cockedduring the operation of opening the breech by means of the cam 26, uponwhich the cocking-lever rests when the firing has taken place. (See Fig.9.) When the actuating-lever 7 begins its movement rearward this cam 26immediately acts upon the cocking-lever 27, which, after the firing hastaken place, rests upon said cam, as in Fig. 8, and thus carries it andthe hammer rearward I I C for asufficient distance to withdraw thefiring-pin from the exploded shell in the chainjber 4, so that the blockmay not be obstructed in its downward movement by said pin, and this isaccomplished while the stud 11 on the crank 10 is making its idlemovement in the eccentric part 13 of the cam 12, and before said stud l1begins to cause the descent of the block. When the stud 11 enters thecam part 14 of the groove 12 the block will begin its descent, andduring this descent the cockinglever 27 slides against or travels overthe high part of the cam 26, and is thus farther forced rearward and farenough to effect the cooking of the hammer, which is accomplished whenthe sear 43 on the lever 44 is free to spring int-o engagement with thecatch 42 of the hammer. This operation is the same with bothconstructions of cocking-lever shown; but in the structure shown inFigs. 1, 5, 6 its forward edge is curved to a greater extent than is thestructure shown in Figs. 8 and 9, in which case the said edge is nearlystraight for a considerable distance and then has a quick curve, thepurpose of which difference will presently be explained. When thereverse movement of the actuating-lever is made the block will be raisedto close the breech of the gun, and the tail or lever 44 of the sear 43will be brought beneath the extension 45 of the trigger, so that whenthe trigger is pressed the sear will be released to allow the hammer toact upon and explode the charge.

The premature discharge of the gun is prevented by the construction,whereby, until the breech-block is fully elevated and the actuating-lever 7 has fully reached its forward position, the cam 26 will be insuch position as to arrest the cocking-lever 27 at some point which willprevent the firing-pin on the hammer from reaching the cartridge. Thisresults from the structure of cocking-lever, Figs. 1, 5, and 6, becauseits bearingt'ace is so curved that during the ascent of the block thiscurved face will be in contact with the concentric part of the cam 26while the latter is rotating until the block reaches its highestelevation, and the low part of the cam 26 becomes exposed while thecrank-arm is moving idly in the slot 13, said low part of the cam thusclearing a space for the forward movement of the cocking-levercoinciding with the throw ofthe hammer, and when the low part of cam 26is exexposed for this purpose thelever 44 willhave engaged the extension45 of the trigger, and thus the cocked position of the hammer will bemaintained throughout the upward movement of the block, and during thereversing or forward movement of the actuatinglever.

1n the structure, Figs. 10 and 11, the curved face of the cocking-leveris such that during the last portion of the ascent of the block the saidlever is not in contact with the cam 26; but this period of non-contactoccurs at a time when the sear-carrying lever 44 would, iffreed, strikethe extension 45 of the trigger, and the forward movement of the hammerto cause premature discharge thus be prevented.

To facilitate the management of the gunwhich is designed to be of largecaliber, and therefore to be heavy and ponderous-it will be mounted byits trunnions in a pivotal hearing, as in United States Patent No.211,849, and provided with a shoulder-piece having handles,

and with a pistol-grip, which devices afford a bearing for the leftshoulder, a grasp for the left hand, and a handle for the right hand,whereby the gunner obtains a perfect control of the gun, and mayconveniently impart toit any movement to its training, and apply hiswhole strength in pointing or steadying the gun, while with one fingerhe may fire the gun.

The shoulder-piece consists of a horizontal bar, 46, provided with avertical member or stock, 47, which latter has an upper member or horn,50, against which the shoulder is applied, and a lower member, 51,provided with one or more handles, 52, which may be seized by the lefthand. This shoulder-piece is secured to the breech of the gun by meansofits bar 46 into a dovetail groove, in which enters a guide-piecedepending from the left side of the breech ofthegutna bolt, 49,passingthrongh a web-like part of the bar, entering a tapped hole in thebreech. The pistol-grip 53,for the right hand of the gunner is providedwith the usual trigger-guard, and furnishes a housing for the principalpart of the trigger.

For the purpose of aiding the introduction ofthe cartridge into the guna trough-like feedway, 54. is formed upon or attached to the bar 46.This feedway may be inclined, as shown in Fig. 6, or horizontal, as inFigs. 1, 2, and 1], and is aligned with the recess 3 and chamher 4. Acartridge laid in this guideway may,

when the breech is open, be readily pushed forward into the chamber ofthe gun. When the trough is inclined a supplemental guideway beneath theplane of the other guideway, as 55, may be provided, and, being inclineddownwardly, furnishes a suitable aperture, through which the empty shellwill drop when discharged from the cham ber4 by theextractor.

The combination of trigger herein claimed may be embodied in thearrangement of breech mechanism shown in my two applications filedrespectively April 28, 1883, and October 11, 1882.

What I claim is 1. The combination, with avertically-slidingbreech-block in which. the hammer, its mainspriug,sear, and cocking-lever are mounted, so as to partake of itsreciprocating movements, of an actuating-lever whose shaft is mounted inthe breech-piece, and carries a crank that moves said block, and a cam,as 9, that 00-01)- erates with the cocking-lever connected with theshaft of the hammer, substantially as described.

2. The combination, witha vertically-sliding breech-block in which thehammer, its mainspring, sear,and cocking-lever are mounted, so at; topartake of its vertical movements, an actuating-lever whose shaft ismounted in the breech-piece, and carries a cam, as 9, that cooperateswith a cocking-lever connected with the shaft of the hammer, of atrigger mounted in the breech-piece and adapted to engage with thesear-lever, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the hammer, mainspring, sear lever, and cockinglever, all

mounted in the breech-block, so as to partake of its vertical movements,with a trigger mounted in the breech, an actuating-lever arranged toplay at one side of the breech, and operating to move the breech-blockand cock the hammer, the arrangement being such that the sear-carryinglever is brought within the range of action of the trigger only when theblock is raised and the breech closed, all substantially as described. I

' 4. The combination, withthe actuating-lever carrying a camco-operating with a cockinglever having a curved face or edge, ofasliding breech-piece carrying the hammer and said cocking-lever,substantially as described.

5. The combination, with a cannon provided with a training-handlelocated at one side of I the breech, and a shoulder-piece at theopposite side, a breech mechanism consisting of a sliding breech-blockand mechanism operating to cock the hammer during the descent of theblock and bring the parts into the tiring position upon the ascent ofsaid block, of a hammer and sear located in the breech-block, and atrigger located in said handle, said trigger being provided with anextension, as 45, for carrying motion from the triggerto the sear,located near the central part of the breech, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the breech of the gun, its slidingbreech-block, and trainingstock or shoulder-piece extending rearwardfrom one side of the breech, of a laterally-projecting feedway, as 54,formed on the bar, as 46, for guiding a cartridge in theloadingoperation, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the breech of the gun and its slidingbreech-block, of a shoulderpiece or training-stock provided with afeeding-way, as 51, for guiding the cartridge to the chamber, and aseparate rearward guideway openingfor the ejected shell, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing wit- 45 HGSSBS.

I B. B. HOTGHKISS. Witnesses:

T. H. PALMER, GEO. H. GRAHAM.

